National Debt

The national debt is at a staggering number. Unfortunately, this is another area where there are no quick fixes. So much of what we spend annually is mandatory spending, and taking slash-and-burn approaches to programs end up costing more than they save. In order to solve our problems, we need to get in the black, meaning we are bringing in more than we spend, and start driving down our debt. In order to do this, I believe we need to start simple and build up from there.

First, we should require every leader at every level of government to find 3% to shave off of their costs. At the lowest rungs, office personnel might eliminate paper coffee cups, use less printer paper, etc. The everyday things that you or I would do if we were getting our own affairs in order. The goal here is not to penalize government workers, but to trim off the excess that we don't need.

Second, each major department needs to identify areas where significant cost reductions can occur while minimizing loss of function. As an example, our military contracts that require laborers should be staffed where possible by our soldiers. If a barracks needs to be built, we can hire construction supervisors to lead production, but the general labor should be provided by our men and women in uniform. Not only will this save on labor costs, but it gives those men and women practical skills they can take with them after their service has ended.